Hemstitch sewing-machine.



No. 634,203. Patented un. 3 |899 c. H. rosTEn. HEMSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

(Application led Sept. 22, 189B.)

3 Shets-Sheet L (No Model.)

llllll Il S E S S M H W Nn. 634,203. Patented ont. 3, |899. c. H. FOSTER.

HEMSTITCH SEWING MACHINE.

Applicexticn led Sept. 22, 1898. (No Modal.) 3 Sheets-Shaet 2,

Patented Oct. 3, i899. C. H'. lFOSTER'.

HEMSTITGH SEWING MACHINE.

No mum.)

(Application tiled Sept. 22, 1898.)

3 Sheets--Sheet 3,

NrrnD STATES PATENT rerune CHARLES H. FOSTER, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEWT JERSEY.

HEIVISTITCH SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,208, dated October 3,- 1899.

Application filed September 22, 1898. Serial No. 691,669. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H Fosrna a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hemstitching Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. Y

This invention relates to a machine fordoing that class of hemstitch-work known as` spoke-stitching and in which two lines of stitches are formed, one at' each side of the row of openings forming the hemstitch-work, the object of the invention being to provide a strong and durable machine for doing the class of work referred to-which is simple in construction and which is adapted for rapid operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lisa side view, partly in vertical section, of the irnproved machine g'and Figin is a detail view of a part of the operating mechanism of the threaddividing spun Fig. 2 is abottonl View of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detail plan or top View of the cam for operating the thread-dividing spur. Fig. 4 is a front end view of the machine, partly in section and with the faceplate removed. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views from opposite sides of the needle-carriers and j connected parts, the thread-dividing spur also being shown. Fig. '7 shows the block or cross-head atta'ched'to the lower end of the needle-bar and in which the needle-carriers are pivotally mounted. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the needle-carriers removed from said block. Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-section of the thread-dividing spur and needles with the latter closed against said spur, and Eig.A

l0 is a detail plan view of the thread-dividing spur and the armon which it is formed. A denotes the work-plate,and B the bracketarm, of a sewing-machine which in its gen-- eral construction is that of one of the wellknown styles of Singer machines and whichk provided near its rear end with a bevel-gear c, meshing with a similar bevel-gear e at the upper end of a vertical shaft E, journaled in the vertical portion of the arm B and carrying at its lower enda crank-disk @12, connected by a pitman e' to an arm e2 of a rock-shaft e3, havinga second arm e4 engaging a crank-arm e5 on the shuttle-operating rock-shaft e, carrying the shuttle-driver e7 to operate the oscillating shuttles es. This shuttle-operating mechanism is that of the well-known Singer overscanning-machine, excepting that in the present instance two closely-placed shuttles are employed instead of one, as heretofore, in

this style of machine. The shaft E is provided beneath the workplate with a gear-wheel e, meshing with a larger gear-wheel E, journ aled on the stud F', and which performs one rotation to three rotations of the shaft E and of the driving-shaft C, said gear-wheel'F being provided with a cam-groove f, entered by a pin or roller-stud f2, carried by one arm of a bell-crank lever f3, the other arm of which engages the feedlever f4, pivoted on an adjustable f ulcrum f5, with which the feed-regulating bar f6 is provided, the feed-dog f7 being attached to or lever in the usual or any well-known manner.

The crank-disk @12 is provided in its upper face with a cam-groove g, entered by a pin or ,roller-stud carried by one arm of a bellcrank lever G, to the other arm of which is f jointed the rear end of a pitman g', connected at its forward, end to a leverg2, pivoted in a projection or bracket g3 on the shuttle-race g4. The forward end of the lever g2 extends beneath a vertically reciprocating rod g5, having an arm or voffset portion g at its upper end, and which arm or offset portion is provided with the thread-dividing prong or spur Q7. The rod g5 is preferably forced downward by a coil-spring g8, interposed between ,a portion of the shuttle-race (in which the head g9 of a screw tapped in the lower end of said rod. A slight adjustment between the rod g5 and its operating-lever g2 is preferably provided by means of the vscrew Q12, against a head on the upper end of which the abutconnected with the forward end of said feed-f bearing for said rod is formed) and the milled'V ICO i ting milled head gf rests. This adjustment permits of a slight variation vertically of the -spur U7 to bring it into propel' operating position relative to the other parts or to compensate for any slight differences of construction should such occurin different machines. The arm or offset part g of the rod g5 is formed as a thin blade and is arranged between the two shuttles, so that said arm and the spur 517 serve partly as a thread-separator between the two needles and shuttles, the small depending tin or rib m on the plate fm.' also serving partly as a thread-separatoix The spur (17 is recessed for the reception of the needles when the latter are closed together, as shown more clearly in Fig. 9. Fig. l represents the arm or part gli with its spur in front of one of the shuttles es, the other shuttle (which would occupy a position in front of or toward the observer from said arm g') being removed.

The shaft C is provided with a bevel-gear c', meshing with a larger bevel-gear, with which the cam-disk Il is provided, these gears being so proportioned that the said cam-disk makes one revolution to each three revolutions of the driving-shaft. The cam-groove h of the disk II is entered by apin or rollerstud at or near the upper end of a lever h2, pivoted at h3 to the bracket-arm B, said lever being provided with a groove which receives an adjustable slideat the rear end of the pitman h1, said slide being secured in any desired position of adjustment in the usual manner by the thumb-nut h5. The pitman 71, is connected at its forward end to a lug or projection 'i on a swinging frame l, pivoted in the head b of the bracket-arm ou the center screws b'. The swinging frame I is provided with a vertical rod i2, on which is fitted a slide i3, having a stud entering a head t4 of an arm i5, attached bya screw i0 to the pivoted needle-carrier d2, said needle-carrier having a notch or slot entered by a tooth or projection d,with which a second pivoted needlecarrier di3 is provided. The needle-carriers (to which the needles (Z4 are secured by set-screws d5) are formed with pivot-studs entering bearings d5 in a block or cross-head C17, attached to the lower end of the needle-bar D, said carriers being secured in their bearings in said block or cross-head by screws d3. rlhe tooth or projection d is preferably formed on a small plated, adjustably secured to the needle-carrier d3, so that by a slight change of position of said tooth,when necessary, the vibrating positions ot' the needles may be equalized, so that they will both have the same degree of inclination when their points are closed against the thread-dividing spur gi.

Attached to the block or cross-head flbya screw 7e is a small bracket or plate 7a', provided at its lower end with a socket for the reception of an awl or pricker 7a2, having a bent or offset shank portion, the said awl or pricker being held in its socket by the setscrew 7e3. The lower or working portion of the said awl or pricker is arranged in front in the line of the feed of the work) of the thread-dividing prong or spur (/7 a distance just equal to the length of the movement of the work by the feed. If the length of the feed be var ied, the position of the working port-ion of the awl or pricker can be varied to correspond by loosening the set screw k3 slightly and turning the said awl or pricker in its socket, the cranked or offset portion of the shank of the said awl or pricker permitting the working portion thereof to be swung toward and from the vertical plane of reciprocation of the thread-dividing spur without appreciably disturbing the alinement of the said working portion of the said awl or pricker with said spur. The awl or pricker k2 serves, as will be understood, as an initial thread-divider to form holes in the fabrics, and which holes will be entered and enlarged after the next feeding movement of the work by the thread-dividing spur Q7 previous to the entrance of the needles. This awl or pricker 752, although a desirable feature of the improved machine,is not indispensablein the successful operation thereof and might therefore be omitted without departing from the essence of the invention.

From the connection of the needle-carriers (Z2 d3 with the grooved cam 7L, as hereinbefore described, it will be apparent that said needle-carriers will be vibrated (through the lever h2, pitman h4, swinging frame I, and arm 715, which arm is connected through the slide t3 to the rod ft2, carried by said swinging frame) to move the needles from and toward each other to the separated and closed positions shown by full and dotted lines, respectively, in Figs. 5 and G. As the cam-disk H performs one revolution to each three revolutions of the dri ving-shaft, and consequently to each three vertical rcciprocations of the needles and each three oscillations of the shuttles, the needle-carriers will be vibrated once to every three stitches formed by each needle and shuttle. The groovcd cam h is so IOO IIO

formed that the needles will be in their separated positions in making one stitch and in their closed positions when making two stitches. Owing to the geared connection hereinbefore described of the feed cam-wheel F with the driving-shaft, it will be understood that the feed-dog will in the present machine be operated to feed the work once for each three stitches or once for each three vertical reciprocations of the needle-bar, and this feeding movement is in this machine timed to occur between the two reciprocations of the needle-bar performed when the needles are in their closed positions. A differentlytimed feed might, however, be employed-as, for example, an ordinary hemstitch-feed, which moves the work forward twice and backward once, and thus a different spokestitch seam might be formed without otherwise changing the machine.

The thread-dividing spur,whieh is arranged adjacent to the vertical paths of the needles when the latter are intheir closed positions, performs one reciprocation at each vertical reciprocation of the needles and is so timed as to rise through the work as the needles are descending, so that its point will be above the work before the points of the needles enter the latter, and thus when the needles are in their closed positions they will be partly housed in, and thus guided bythe recesses or grooves formed in the opposite sides of said spur for their reception, the said spur descending before the needles rise, so as to leave the hole in the fabric free for the drawing of the needle-threads when the shuttles are expanding the needle-loops and so that said spur will be vdisengaged from the work when the latter is fed.

lVhen the thread-dividing spur rises, it passes upward in the hole which has been preferably previously made by the awl or pricker k2, the hole being enlarged and the divided threads being held apart by the said spur and by the needles while the stitches are being formed, the threads of the stitches which pass through the holes in the work or between the divided threads of the fabrics being anchored into the body of the fabrics when the needles descend in their separated positions.

The work performed by the improved niachine is similar to that made in the machine shown in United States patent to Gegauf,No. 592,088, dated October 19, 1897, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of thedrawingsof said patent. In the use of the Gegauf machine, however, only straight or approximatelystraight hemstitch or spoke-stitch seams can be made, owing to the fact that the needles are arranged one behind the other in the line of the feed of the work, and consequently as sharp corners cannot be turned-as is necessary, for example, in hemstitching handkerchiefs, square tidies, dac-as can be done with the improved machine herein described. It has been found, moreover, that by arranging the thread dividing spur beneath the throatplate or work-plate a more convenient and more reliably operating mechanism is provided ,in that said spur does not interfere with the needles to prevent the proper running of the needle-threads as the latter are drawn down by the shuttles, and said spur also serves to guide the needles as they descend, and by constructing the machine with a simple and positively-operating needle-vibrating mechanism higher speed and more durability are attained than with the Gegauf construction. The invention, therefore, is not to be understood as being limited to the details herein shown and described, as these may be varied widely Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a sewing-machine the combination with a needle-bar and its operating mechanisin,of two needle-carriers movably connected with said bar and provided with needles,

mechanism for operating said carriers to move the said needles from and toward each other, loop taking devices cooperating with said needlesa thread-dividing spur arrangedbeneath the work-plate of the machine and adjacent to the paths of descent of said needles, means for operating said spur to cause it to rise through the work before the descending needles enter the latter, an awl or pricker arranged above the work-plate in front of said spur inthe line of feed of the work, and a work-feeding mechanism.

2. In a sewing-machine t-he combination with a needle-bar and its operating mechanism ,of two needle-carriers movably connected with said bar and provided with needles, mechanism for operatin g said carriers to move the said needles from and toward each other, loop-taking devices cooperating Vwith said needles, a thread-dividing spur arranged beneath the work-plate of the machine and adjacent to the paths of descent of said needles, means for operating said spur to cause it to rise through the work before the descending needles enter the latter, an awl or pricker arranged above the work-plate in front of said spur in the line of feed of the work, and a work-feeding mechanism timed to move the Work. forward once for each three vertical reciproca-tions of said needle-bar.

3. In a sewing-machine the combination with a needle-bar and its operating mechanism,of two needle-carriers movably connected with said bar and provided with needles, mechanism for operating said carriers to move the said needles from and toward each other, loop taking devices coperating with said needles, a thread-dividing spur arranged beneath the work-plate of the machine and adjacent to the paths of descent of said needles, means for operating said spur to cause it to rise through the work before the descending needles enter the latter, an awl or pricker arranged above the work-plate infront of said spur in the line of feed of the work, and a work-feeding mechanism timed to move the work forward once for each three vertical reciprocations of said needle-bar, said operating mechanism for said needle-carriers being timed to cause the needles to be separated at one descent of the needle-bar and to be closed together at the next two descents thereof, the closed descents of the needles occurring just before and just after the feeding movement.

' 4. In a sewing-machine the combination with the driving-shaft thereof and a needlebar operatively connected with said shaft, of two pivoted and connected needle-carriers reciprocating vertically with said bar and one of which carriers is provided with an operating-arm, as t5, needles mounted in said carriers, a cam-disk, as H, geared to said shaft to rotate one to each three revolutions of the latter, connections between said arm and cam whereby said arm is vibrated to move the said needles toward and from each other, a thread- IOO IIO

dividing spur arranged beneath the throatplate of the machine, mechanism for reciproeating said spur vertically, and a feeding mechanism for advancing the work.

5. In a sewing-machine the combination with a needle-bar and its operating mechanism, of two pivot-ed needle-carriers reciprocating vertically with said bar and having a toothed connection with each other so as to be reversibly vibrated, one of said carriers being provided with an operating-arm, needles mounted in said carriers, means for vibrating said arm to move the said needles from and toward each other, a thread-dividing spur located beneath the work-plate or throat-plate and adjacent to the pat-hs of descent of said needles, mechanism for reciprocating said spur vertically to cause it to rise through the goods before the needles enter the latter, and a feeding mechanism for advancing the work.

G. In a sewing-machine, the combination with the driving-shaft and the needle-bar operatively connected therewith, of two pivoted needle-carriers having a toothed connection with each other and one of which is provided with an operating-arm, as i5, needles mounted in said carriers, and a cam geared to said shaft and operatively connected with said arm so as to move the said needles toward and from each other at intervals.

7. In a sewing-machine, the combination with the driving-shaft thereof and a needlebar operatively connected with said shaft, of a cam, as H, geared to said shaft, two pivoted needle-carriers reciprocating vertically with said bar and havinga toothed connection with each other, one of said carriers being provided with an operating-arm as fr", a movable frame as I, to which said arm is connected and which, in turn, is with said cam, to be operated thereby, needles mounted in said carriers, loop-taking devices cooperating with said needles, a work-feeding mechanism, a thread dividing spur located beneath the work-plate or throat-plate of the lnachine adjacent to the path of descent of said needles, and means for reciprocating said spur vertically to cause it to rise through the work before the needles enter the latter.

8. In a sewing-machine, the combination with two needles and means for reciprocating the same vertically and for moving them toward and from each other, and loop-taking devices cooperating with said needles, of a thread dividing spur located beneath the work-plate or throat-plate of the machine adjacent to the paths of descent of said needles, operating mechanism for reciprocating said spur vertically, a feeding mechanism for advancing the work, and a vertically-reciprocating awl or pricker above the work-plate located in front of said spur and in the line of the feed, said awl orpricker being adjustable so that the distance of its Working portion from the vertical path of movement of said spur may be varied to correspond to different lengths of feed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES H. FOSTER. Witnesses:

HENRY CALvER, JOSEPH F. JAQUITH. 

